Process for controlling the vulcanization of rubber and similar materials



atented Jan. 15, I 392%,

SIDNEY IVI. CAnwELnor. Leon e, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 THEHNAIIGATUOK CHEMICAL COMPANY, or nAUeATUCK, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION or con-- NECTICUT.

rnocnss non co-n'rn'onnnve 'rnn VULCANIZATION or RUBBER AND srMILAn MATERIALS.

No Drawing. Original application filed June 25, 1923, Serial No. 647,757. Divided and this application filed November 1, 1927. Serial No. 230,389.

plication No 574,7 97, filed July 13, 1922, now

taining carbon disulphide, zinc. or equivalent.

metal in combination and an amine or any one or more of such. substances, and to pro; ducts obtained thereby.

The principal object of the present invent-ion is to provide a process'for checking the vulcanization of rubber which shall be simple and efiicient, particularlyin causing sure curbing or checking of vulcanization of rubber in any form including latex, cements or solid rubber which has been partially or completely vulcanized. Another object of the invention is to provide a series of products resulting from such processes in which such control has been exercised and which will result in rubber articles having im-' proved physical characteristics such as better resistance to ageing.

The invention accordingly comprises a process for controlling the vulcanization of rubber which includes causing. a vulcanizing ingredient containedin rubber to react with a substance for checking the further vulcanizing function of the ingredient and at will treating the rubber with an agent causing vulcanization, and the products obtained thereby.

This application is a division of copending application Serial No. 647,757, filed June 25, 1923.

The term agent as herein employed is intended to include both chemical substances and physical forces such as heat.

The term .vulcanizing ingredient as employed herein is intended to include a substance which is acomponent partof-any combination or mixture which 'iscapable of vulcanizing rubber.

In accordance With copending application No. 574,780, filed July'l3, 1922, continued in applications Nos. 411,875, filed July 6, 1925; 681,066, filed Dec. 17, 1923, and copending a'p Patent No 1,463,794, it has been shown that vulcanization at ordinary temperatures, ap-

proximately 70? F occurs When four ingredients, M in combination, an amine, a material comprising sulphur and a material comprising carbon disulphide. or carbon oxysulphide are present. (Above the ordinary temperature, say ranging upwards to 212 F. or 2LO286 Ii. vulcanization iii the presence of these substances occurs at an increased rate.) M represents zinc or mercury in the mercuric'state' when vulcanization at ordinary temperatures, approximately 70 F.,'is carried out, and when vulcanization above ordinary temperatures, the preferred metals are the following :zinc, mercury, preferably in the mercuric state, cadmium, copper, preferably in the cupric, state, arsenic, preferably in the arsenous state, manganese, preferably in the man- 'ganous state, and lead, preferably in the plumbous state. It has been found in accordance with the present invention that the vulcanization accomplished by the presence of these ingredients may be controlled by" controlling the vulcanizing function of any one of the ingredients by treating it, preferably in rubber,.with a substance which reacts chemically therewith, 'preferably without removing the reaction product Where 'solid rubber is employed although it ma be removed later if desired. The con tro of vulcanization in the manner consti tuting the present inventi'onis particularly important in its actionto prevent the furthervulcaniza'tion of-ru'bber compounds containing accelerators and other Vulcanizing ingredients whichvulcanize at ordinary temperatures or slightly above. Taking the process of vulcanization set forth in Cadwells copending application, Sr. No. 441,-. 691, filed February 1, 1921, in which rubber, zinc oxide, sulphur and oXy normal butvl thiocarbonic acid disulphide are combined and the compound so formed subsequently exposed to the vapors of aniline, constitut- .ing the fourth, i. e., amine ingredient, to effect vulcanization, if this compound without exposure to aniline or other amine be scrap rubber, that ispieces of rubber-'-usu-' ally small piecesresulting from cutting or other processes for the manufacture of various rubber articles. By the present invention such premature vulcan zation 1s avoided. If the premature vulcanization men- 'tioned occurs it causes a serious loss of money in factory operations. Furthermore if vulcanized rubber is treated by the present processto checkf fur'ther vulcanization of the rubber, it has been found that further vulcanization substantially does not occur and thereby the ageing properties of the rubber are greatly improved.

Instead of causing reaction with natural or casual amine to occur in a compound containing rubber, zinc in combination, sulphur and oxy normal butyl thiocarbonic acid disulphide, either zinc in combination or the carbon disulphide-containing material for example oXy normal butyl thioearbonic acid disulphide may be treated with a suitable substance to check itsvulcanizing function.

In general in treating rubber containing vuleanizing ingredients, the following pro.- cedures may be employed:

1. For controlling the vulcanization by influencing the action of an amine or other basic nitrogenous matter constituting one of the four ingredients mentioned above, the amine may be rendered partially or totally inactive by treating it with an aldehyde of the aliphatic or aromatic series, such formaldehyde, bcnzaldhyde, acetaldchyde,

etc. or may be treated with an acid anhy dride such as phthalic anhydride, or with nitroso bodies such as para nitrosodimethylaniline, nitroso betanaphthol, para nitrosodiethylaniline, or quinone, or similar materials and other bodies having similar properties. These substances lower the basicity of the amine or-other basic nitrogenous matter present. lVhere the amine or other basic nitrogenous matter is not one of the four ingredients but is used for example with zinc in combination and sulphur,

the'treatment with aldehyde actually increases the activity of the amine. But treatment with an anhydride such as phthalic anhydride or-nitroso bodies or quin'one or other bodies .having similar properties checks the vulcanizing function of the I amine.

2. For controlling the-vulcanization by influencing the action of the carbon disultially unchanged physically.

phide-containing material, an excess 01 either an aliphatic amine or ammonia or hydrogen sulphide may be employed.'- The amine employed should be a primary amine.

3. For controlling the vulcanization by influencing the action of the zinc or similar metal, hydrogen sulphide may be employed or similar substance to form a less active compound. "The zinc sulphide formed when hydrogen sulphide is used is a less active form-of zinc in combination. i

4. For controlling vulcanization by influencing the action of sulphur "where sulphur constitutes one ofv the four ingredients mentioned above various unsaturated bodies may be employed such as palm oil, resin and pine tar.

canizing functions of these various vulcanizing ingredients leave the rubber substan- The rubber may be employed in various states such as latex, raw rubber, or products intermediate between latex and raw rubber, such as rubber sponge, as set forth in United States patents of Ernest Hopkinson, 1,423,525 and 1,423,526; rubber which has been compounded and is partially or fully vulcanized rubber. The various substances, either in the gaseous. liquid or solid state may be absorbed, diffused or introduced by painting, etc.

The process may also be carried out by using vulcanized rubber resulting fromthe vulcanization of a compound made up from parts of rubber, 10 parts of zinc oxide, 2 parts of dibenzylamine and 6 parts of sulphur vulcanized by treatment with the mixed vapors of carbon disulphide and carbontetrachloride at ISO-200 F. as disclosed in my application Serial No. 574,797 filed July 13, 1922, now patent No. 1,468,794. After treatment with carbon disulphide and carbon tetrachloride as indicated the vulcanized rubber is maintained over night in a receptacle of appropriate size to which has been added an amount of formaldehyde equal to 0.01 part of the weight of the rubber being treated. Formaldehydeis preferably introduced in the gaseous form which may be produced inanyv desired manner.

If large amounts of rubber and large reeesme canization of the compound. WVithout such treatment the compound will continue to vulcanizeuntil practically all six parts of the sulphur have combined with the rubber thus producing an over-vulcanized product. By the process given vulcanization is substantially retarded and overvulcanization of the material is reduced.

If desired an aldehyde, which due to the fact that it exists as a liquid at ordinary temperature and is therefore not so apt to leave the rubberas formaldehyde, may be introduced into the rubber. Such an aldehyde is benzaldehyde. It may be introduced as follows: 100 parts of rubber which may contain casual amine or which may subsequently absorb a casual amine are mixed with 2 parts of zinc oxide, 2'parts of oxy normal butyl thiocarbonic acid disulphide and 2 parts of sulphur. This compound after vulcanization and preferably in the form of masses of approximately 0.1 inch thickness or less is maintained over night in a receptacle containing benzaldehyde liquid whose vapors at ordinary temperature are distributed about the receptacle and penetrate the rubber mass, reacting with any casual amine already pres ent. Thereafter the rubber so compounded is removed and a quantity of benzaldehyde so that any causal amine remains therein that may come in contact, with the rubber will be neutralized by the benzaldehyde pres-- ent. The vulcanization of the compound is accordingly retarded.

Instead of benzaldehyde, paranitrosodi In'et-hylaniline in solid form may be introduced in the receptacle mentioned in the above example. At ordinary temperature material volatilizes sufficiently to be absorbed by therubber. Amounts of benz-.

1 aldehyde or para nitrosodimethylaniline are employed to permit absorption by the rubber of a suflicient amount to react with the amine with an excess remaining at the end of the period of exposure.

As another example employing vulcanized rubber derived from latex for instance, combined with various vulcanizing ingredients,

the following process maybe carried out Latex suiheient to produce 100 parts of dry rubber is compounded with 0.5 part of zinc oxide, 15 parts of zinc dimethyldithiocarbamate, 6 parts of sulphur, and vulcanized at 212 F. for approximately 1 hr. at the end of which time the vulcanized compound in sheets or threads in thickness or less is treated with hydrogen sulphide gas at ordinary temperatures, 7 0 F., for 24' hrs.

The hydrogen sulphide reacts with zinc ox-- ide and zinc dimethyldithiocarbamate to check their .vulcanizing function. In this way over-vulcanization of the compound is checked.

Vulcanized rubber derived from a com;

pounded-rubber consisting of 100 parts of sing the rubber, 3 parts of oxy normalbutyl thiocarbonic acid disulphide, 2 parts of zinc oxide,

and 2 parts of sulphur which may contain casual amine or which may subsequently absorb amine may be prevented from further vulcanization by treating with 21.14% aqueous solution of ammonia, an which the vulcanized rubber is allowed to remain for 24:- 36 hrs, after which time it is removed and dried at ordinary temperatures. By this treatment the oxy normalbutyl thiocarbonio acid disulphide is decomposed and further vulcanization stopped. Instead ofimmervulcanized rubber in aqueous ammonia, it may be kept in ammonia gas for 24-36 hrs, at ordinary temperatures. It is. pointed outthat with a certain concentration of ammonia, the rubber compound will vulcanize under the action thereof acting in this instance as a substitute for the later applied aniline. But where employed as in the example given no such vulcanization 0c-- curs and the decomposition of the oxy normal butyl thiocarbonic acid disulphide proceeds. i

Vulcanized rubber derived from 100 parts of rubber, 10 parts of zinc oxide, and 10 parts of oxy normal butyl thiocarbonic acid disulphide may be similarly treated to prevent further vulcanization. In this compound the oxy normal butyl thiocarbonic acid disulphide acts as a vulcanizing agent furnishing sulphur to accomplish the vulcanization. The above described treatment normal butyl thiocarbonic acid disulphide is also decomposed.

Instead of oxy normal butyl thiocarbonic acid disulphide mentioned in any of the above examples, the following vulcanizin ingredients may be substituted to be treated bythe processes. before-mentioned herein: Zinc butyl xanthogenate, thiobenzoylqnonosulphide, oxy ethylthiocarbonic acid disulphide and zinc dithiobenzoate .in compounds or cements. The proportion. of each of these materials'preferably employed is as follows: I

100' parts of rubber, 10 parts of zinc oxide, 3partsof sulphur'and from 0.1 to 3 parts of the zinc butyl xanthogenate,'thiobenzoylmonosulphide, oxy ethylthiocarbonic acid disulphide or zinc'dithiobenzoate.

It will be observed that oxy normal butyl thiocarbonie aciddisulphide, zinc dithiobenzoate, zinc butyl anthogenate, thiobenzoylmonosulphide, oxy ethylthiocarbonic acld disulphide fare representatives of a-large class of materials whosejaction may be con trolled in a manner SIIIIllaI to that above set forth. This class of materials includes sulphide or materials containing the, groupthiol salts, disulphides and monosulphides some of which are set forth in my Patents 1,440,962, 1,440,963, 1,440,964, 1,440,961, and my copending applications Sr. Nos, 548,828,

5428,829, $18,831, now issued as U.'S. Patents I where X represents sulphur or a substitute element or group the processes herein set forth may be employed.

The processes herein set forth are simple and efficient. They cause either partial or complete stoppage of vulcanization when ap plied to the various types of rubber employed containing one or more vulcanizing ingredients; Products in which over-vulcanization has been prevented by the proc esses herein included have a correspondingly increased resistance to ageing It will thus be seen that among others the objects of the invention above enumerated are achieved.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is. i v

" 1. A-process for controlling the vulcanizationof rubber which comprises treating vulcanized rubber-containing an acceleratfunctioning of said ingredient.

2. A. process for controlling the vulcanization of rubber which comprises treating vulcanized rubber containing before vulcanization the four ingredients, sulphur, zinc in combination, carbon disulphide and an amine with a substance to check the vulcanizing function of one of these ingredients.

3. Aprocess for controlling the vulcanization ofrubber which, comprises subject.- ing vulcanized rubber containing an accelerating ingredient to a substance adapted, to be absorbed by the rubber to check the vulcanizing function of the accelerating ingredient.

4. A process for controlling the vuleanization of rubber whichcomprises sub ecti in vulcanized rubber containing an accelerati ng ingredient to formaldehyde adapted to be absorbed by the rubber to check the vulcanizing function of the accelerating ingredient.

5. A process for controlling the vulcanization of rubber which comprises treating vulcanized rubber derived from rubber con 'taining sulphur, carbon disulphide, amine and zinc in combination with a substance in vapor. form thereby to check the further vulcanizing function of at least one of said vulcaniz'ing ingredients.

Signed at New York, county and state of New York, this 26th day of October, 1927.

SIDNEY M. CADVELL.

ing ingredient with a material to check the 

